CHL vs MHL/KHL route
Lets Bring some Sanity to this point.
1) Not every kid is built to go to the CHL at a young age due to the emotional maturity required to make the leap.
2) The KHL really hurts themselves with this one by trying to lock up players that will be NHL ready at 19 up until they are 22. These kids started leaving because they started outsmarting the system, playing in juniors and then the MHL until they need to sign their entry-level deal with the KHL, it allows them to bypass the Russian -NHL Transfer agreement altogether.
3) If you are a truly elite player that is capable of receiving top 6 ice time as a 17-18 year old rookie in the KHL, then I think the KHL can be a great route for development. The KHL is the toughest league to score in in the world. This can ruin a young player's development if they aren't prepared or can't earn proper ice time, or just can't hack it in that environment. This logic would apply to any kid looking at SM-Liiga, Elitserien, or Allsvenskan as well.
4) The CHL is the best set of competitive junior leagues in the world. For anyone but a top flight 17-year old european talent (A malkin, ovechkin, cherepanov, tarasenko, kuznetsov, kovalchuk, yakupov, grigorenko, peter forsberg, sedin brothers, granlund, etc.), who are able to earn top 6 ice time in a men's pro league, the CHL is the best option. It allows a player to play the best 20 and under competition while being able to get deserved top 6 ice time, and also allows them to begin learning the NA game in a league that certainly has much more time and space than he will see in the AHL or NHL.
5.) If a player is not going to receive top ice-time in the CHL, they should find a competitive league in Europe where they can receive top ice time. Go to germany, go to Finland, wherever. Most of the best finnish prospects have no trouble becoming top 20 scorers in the SM-Liiga by the time they turn 17/18. The problem with those kids is that they need to progress beyond that level of competition.
6.) As for the USHL vs CHL debate. The CHL is still roughly more than twice as difficult to play in as the USHL. And the rate of NHL success from USHL players is pretty bad when compared to CHL players. Look, I'm american, I love the USHL, but they have not produced enough guys (outside of the USNTDP) to make me believe that it's really a sound development plan for Europeans. We'll see how Girgensons adapts. The list of good players that came from USHL development is small. Thomas Vanek, Paul Stastny, etc.
In conclusion, for all of my studies of player development, it's all about finding the most competitive league you can where you can individually succeed. For many, the CHL provides a great balance of learning the NA game, and playing against great competition.
